Abstract
The final stage in the life history of prehistoric pottery prior to archaeological recovery is usually the longest, and frequently the most dynamic. The remains of archaeological ceramics spend hundreds to thousands of years deposited within the upper layers of the earth’s crust where they encounter the same diagenetic environmental processes as the surrounding natural materials. Harsh conditions of subterranean environments induce physical stresses and chemical reactions, causing alterations of ceramic structure and composition. This is especially true of carbonate-rich ceramics, as carbonate phases are soluble when deposited within acidic environments. This paper examines common carbonate depletion and accretion effects of post-depositional environments on ancient ceramics from two rather different geological and archaeological contexts: Mesoamerica and the Mediterranean. Potters in both regions produce vessels with carbonate-rich materials—clays, calcite, limestone—that alter due to long exposure to low-pH sediments and continual water table fluctuations. Ceramic petrography is employed to identify traces of carbonate alterations within ceramic microstructure and to characterize fabrics. Elemental compositions of the same sherds are characterized through either scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and optical emission spectrometry (ICP-MS/OES) or neutron activation analysis (NAA). This method enabled comparison of the differing effects of post-depositional alteration of carbonate phases on bulk composition signatures commonly used to determine provenance.
Highlights
Be they pot, brick or mortar, ceramic materials have been commonplace in human societies for millennia
We examine the post-depositional alterations of minerals, carbonates, within ceramic material systems that are prevalent in the archaeological record and investigate how they may affect the outcome of bulk compositional analyses, chemical or physical
The pottery from Moxviquil and CV-38 separates into three inclusion categories: ash, calcite, and volcanic-derived mineral and rock fragments
Summary
Brick or mortar, ceramic materials have been commonplace in human societies for millennia. These materials were a key, if often mundane, part of everyday life. Due to their resilience against natural decomposition, ceramics are found in abundance during archaeological excavations. They have become pivotal in our attempts to understand behavior and societal life in the human past to such an extent that entire conferences and academic societies are dedicated to ancient ceramics. Beyond the ubiquity of archaeological ceramics, the use of geological and organic raw materials in their production leaves traces of human behavior—including interactions with environments, economics, knowledge transfer, skill, and links to cognitive processes such as aesthetic choices and ritual behaviors
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
